PS6.0 QuickMask problem

[PixelMover]

here's one I haven't come across earlier..
When using quick mask, the area I mask is pale red, as if I had set opacity to 10% or so..
And when I exit quickmask, the whole image is selected (as in 'select all'), not the part I masked.
Checked all my settings, opacity is 100%, mode normal, using normal airbrush tool...
Already set all tool options back to default, but no result.

Any input welcome!

[DannyRaphael]

Quick Mask unusual behavior

I was able to reproduce your situation (I think) as follows:

Quick Mask option "(x) Color indicates masked area"

Used very low pressure (10%) Air Brush to paint (mask) a few sections of an image.

Exited Quick Mask.

Got the "select all"-like marquee.

==============

If the above apply to your situation, I believe this is expected behavior.

PS will not display "marching ants" unless the opacity of the painted-on area is > than some minimum opacity (50% I believe). If using a low pressure airbrush, your painted-on area is probably less than 50% opacity.

Since the threshold requirement isn't met due to light coverage by airbrush, it "appears" the entire area is selected (not masked)... but it really isn't.

When you exit quick mask, to to SELECT/SAVE SELECTION... and save your selection to a new alpha channel... then visually check the mask in the channels palette. I'll bet you see some areas of very light gray where the mask was painted.

See of this works for you.

~Danny~

[DannyRaphael]

Quick Mask warning dialog box

Meant to include this warning message that PS displays under certain circumstances...

[PixelMover]

Thanks for your reply, but as I stated in my first post. I had opacity set to 100%, not to 10% or so...

I'm very familiar with photoshop behaviours, so I know exactly what you mean, but this is a different problem.

All Adobe support could suggest was resetting tool options to default and that is something I already tried, didn't work.

[jeaniesa]

Strange behavior. I haven't ever run into it.

If you copy the selected area to a new layer and turn off the layers beneath - is the selection truly 100% over the entire image, or is there a variation in opacity (indicating less than 100% selection)?

Jeanie

[DannyRaphael]

"Checked all my settings, opacity is 100%, mode normal, using normal airbrush tool... "

Since you mentioned using the airbrush and I rarely if ever use the airbrush at 100%, I ass-u-me-d 100% referred to the Quick Mode opacity setting.

Doesn't matter...

What does the corresponding Quik Mask channel look like as you're spraying on the mask?

[Mike Needham]

I cant remember details and I may be pissing in the wind, but I think it has to do with a setting ( I dont have photoshop on and wont do again till tommorow ) but any mask below 50% will not be selected - therefore soft edge selections must not be below 50% opacity. I am unsure at this point if this threshold can be altered.

[PixelMover]

Mike, you're right about the 50% edge rule, I know for sure this isn't causing it, since I tried editing my quick mask with hard brushes too..

[TheTexan]

When you paint on the quick mask to fine tune your channel selection, for example to include or exclude details on either side of the rough selection made earlier, do so with 100% on the brush. The appearance of the see thru on the mask is only so that you can see whats underneath. It isnt really less than 100%. So when you paint at less than 100% your not painting black but a shade of gray which will not give you what you want. To prove this, just paint on a quickmask to widen the selection then turn off the quick mask. Turn it back on again and the part you added is now a part of the mask and the whole thing is dim in appearance, but not really.

Tex

[PixelMover]

Well, problem solved the hard way:

I bought an upgrade to PS7.0 and now everything works fine

(oh..and I should try the 'great photoshop race' again..is it me or does PS7 start much quicker?)